Bathing suit



Patented Nov.. 3 93l 'WIEN M. GULDSTH, 0l? Pm ELPTHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSXGNOR OF ONE-F T HENRY F. GLDSMITE, 0F PEEL ELEHIA, PENNSYLVANA BATEIING SUIT application mea ruiyfia Bathing suits of all materials from which such suits are now made, and whether lmitlll. houses the time required to dry bathing suits is a serious item of expense, since it necessitates the provislon of a large supply, because at anygiven timea large proportlon of sults is undergoing drying and is out of use.'

Again, the more promptly a used bathing suit iis-dried, the longer is the life of the garment.

The object of the invention is to provide a bathing suit, or bathing suit piece if the suit is not aunit garment, which will dry kvery quickly on exposure to ordinary atmospheric conditions.

A bathing suit embodying my invention has two necessary characteristics: namely, the garment must be readily permeable by water, and it must' be coated or impregnated with a water-repellentv material not necessarily diiferent from that used in the treatment of so-called `Waterproof garments, e. g., raincoats, to render them substantially impermeable to water. This combination of apparently opposing and mutually exclusive qualities is secured by so manufacturing the garment that it will be provided with a multitude of intel-sticos or openings suiciently numerous and sizable to allow water to How therethrough, and by coating or impregnating the yarn of which the fabric is made, before, or preferably after, the garment is manufactured, with a water-resistant material. Due to the fact that the 'structure of the garment is more or less that of an' open mesh, 'the waterproofing applied to the exposed surfaces of the fabric does not prevent or effectively obstruct free inflow of water through the garment to the body of the wearer. On the other hand, the water-resistant treatment protects the yarn of the fabric from internal saturation and therefore, when the bather W emerges from his bath, there remainson the i930. Serial No. 469,060.

exposed surfaces of the fabric merely a thin lm of water which quickly evaporates.

The invention, as far as it is possible to illustrate it, is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Y Fig. l is a front view of a one-piece loathing suit embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of a small section of the garment.

Fig. 8 is a magnified view of a short length of the yarn of which the fabric of the garment is composed.

Y'llue bathing suit a shown is one composedV of a knitted fabric, an enlarged section l, of which is shown in Figure 2, wherein the yarn 6 is knitted so as to form a multitude ofsmall perfor-ations c, which, for purposes of illustration, are somewhat enlarged both rela' tively and absolutely. Fig. 3 is a greatly enlarged longitudinal .section through a short as shown. 'lhe method of knittingis wholly immaterial and they knitted fabric need not have the specific structure or appearance shown in Figure 2. ln fact, the fabric may be knitted in any ordinary way that will not form too close or tight a mesh, since many ordinary knitted fabrics provide very small openings which will not prevent or seriously obstruct the flow of water therethrough. The fabric need not be formed by knittmg, but may be formed by weaving, or by'a combination of weaving and knitting, provided the weave or mesh is not suiciently tight, o preventor seriously obstruct'the flow o Water through the interstices lof the fabric.

A number of waterproong' compositions suitable vfor use are well known. Merely as an example, and not as a limitation, the following formulae may be used in making the composition pounds of alum and 40 pounds of lead' mixed with the solution until the solution reaches a concentration of six degrees (6) Baum.

The composition may be applied to the yarn before the garment is knitted or woven. Preferably, however, it is applied to the completed garment. The method of application is by dipping, spraying or any other procedure that is used in waterproofing, care being taken, however, not to so apply the composition, and not to apply it in such quantity, as to close or seal the openings, which may be very small, through which it is required that the Water shall freely ow.

It is found that such a garment, during bathing, allows as free access to the body as an ordinary bathing suit, and by thus wholly failing to perform the desired and intended function of an ordinary waterproofed garment, it effects one of the objects of the invention. On the other hand, when removed from the water, it dries very rapidly, which accomplishes the other object of the invention.

`In claimingr a bathing suit I mean to include not only a one-piece suit but any unit of a plural piece suit.

What I claim is 1. A bathing suit treated with a water-repellent composition but readily permeable by water.

2. A bathing suit composed of a textile fabric provided with openings allowingfree passage of water from one side of the fabric to the other and treated with a water-repellent composition ineffective to prevent said passage of water but promotive of quick drying of the suit.

3. A bathing suit composed of a textile fabric the yarn of which is treated with a composition resistant to the internal penetration of the yarn by water, the texture of the fabric being such as to allow free passage of water through the fabric exteriorly of the yarn between adjacent treated surfaces thereof. 4. A bathing suit composed of a textile fabric the mesh of which affords openings through which water readily passes from one side to the other of the fabric, the yarn of the fabric being treated with a water-repellent composition yadapted to render the garment quick-drying but adapted to avoid serious obstruction of the specific openings.

In testimony of which invention, I have hereunto set my hand, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on this 18th day of July, 1930.

EDWIN M. GOLDSMITH." 

